


Charity: Most People Are Good

by SmolBeanDrabbles



Category: Australia (2008)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Hope you brought your insulin, Tooth Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:19:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26195515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmolBeanDrabbles/pseuds/SmolBeanDrabbles
Summary: After the bombing in Darwin, who is going to watch over the boys from Mission Island? As the convey reaches Adelaide Captain Dutton and Brother Frank find someone to take them in, but that might not be the Captain's only interest in her...
Relationships: Captain Dutton/Reader, Emmett Dutton/Reader





	Charity: Most People Are Good

**Author's Note:**

> Part of my 7 Deady Sins / 7 Heavenly Virtues tumblr request challenge. 
> 
> Lyrics: 'Most People Are Good' by Luke Bryan

_I believe kids oughta stay kids as long as they can  
…Go climb a tree, get dirt on their hands  
I believe we gotta forgive and make amends  
‘Cause nobody gets a second chance to make new old friends  
I believe in working hard for what you’ve got  
Even if it don’t add up to a hell of a lot  
  
I believe them streets of gold are worth the work  
But I still wanna go even if they were paved in dirt  
I believe that youth is spent well on the young  
'Cause wisdom in your teens would be a lot less fun  
I believe if you just go by the nightly news  
Your faith in all mankind would be the first thing you lose  
  
I believe most people are good  
And most mama’s oughta qualify for sainthood  
I believe you love who you love  
Ain’t nothing you should ever be ashamed of  
I believe this world ain’t half as bad as it looks  
I believe most people are good_

\---

_noun_

  1. an organization set up to provide help and raise money for those in need.
  2. the voluntary giving of help, typically in the form of money, to those in need.  
  
  




Adelaide. Dutton didn’t think he’d ever seen something so beautiful in his entire life. Having said that it could have been anything. After Darwin. But, they were due to meet the main convoy here. So, Adelaide was the place he decided was the most beautiful.  
It’s been a long hard journey. 30+ hours would be hard enough if he only had his troops to think about. But Emmett Dutton now had a group of Mission Children to think of also.  
And any time he could he would have the convoy break to let the children _be_ children. Even if that only lasted 10 minutes at a time. He was plenty glad for Brother Frank at all times. Because Emmett couldn’t look after all these kids alone. Much as he would like to try.  
It surprised him even more how much he found himself caring for these kids. He wasn’t never a kids person. He just wasn’t at all sure he was good at it. Frank was nearly 100% sure that he was. And even other members of his troop took time for the children. They didn’t have much considering all that had happened in Darwin, but, everyone shared everything.

It was on one such break that Emmett contemplated the future of the children. Usually if he wasn’t amongst the children himself, he would stand watching them with a smile. There was still innocence at a time of war. Or he would just be happy… that there were **good things**. He had to continue to remind himself that there _were_ still good things.  
However today Emmett Dutton looked worried. And Frank noticed this, wandering over; “Penny for your thoughts, Captain.”  
Emmett chewed his lip thoughtfully, “Brother Frank, tell me, when we get to Adelaide… what happens to the children?”  
Dutton already knew it was likely he would have to move his troops on. The convoy was not about to just end in Adelaide. It was likely Australia would play a bigger part in the war now. Would he have to travel to Europe to fight? To the USA? He shook that thought away as quickly as he could and turned to his companion for answers.  
“Well… Adelaide is a big place. It will have a Church.”  
“Surely the church cannot look after so many?” It wasn’t Emmett didn’t think it possible. But the money, the people, the resource?  
… _The fact the children were Aboriginal?_ … He’d seen so much injustice already done due to that. And adoption was so **hard** he didn’t expect anything to happen there of any consequence either. He’d explained that to Sarah many times. (And watched her fight it, though… He had to admit as much to himself). It certainly hadn’t deterred her, hopefully they would find more such people in the city… What Emmett thought they needed was another woman like her.  
“Well. God works in mysterious ways.”  
Emmett raised an eyebrow; “Indeed he may, but… Don’t these boys need a mother as well?”  
Frank’s face suddenly beamed; “I’m sure they will get one Captain. It’s only a shame I am not able to call ahead!”

**

So now he was here in Adelaide, Emmett hoped that Brother Frank’s promise would pay off.  
Dutton wasn’t worried. But, now it was like these children were _his_. And he wanted to make sure they were well looked after and taken care of.  
The majority of the main army convoy was already here; but he was told that those from Darwin were allowed respite. _Thank God_. And rightly so after what they had been through. This gave Emmett precious time. And now he was tailing Brother Frank through the streets.  
“…So, will they go here? Not the Church?”  
“If she can take them all. I’m sure she can! She has the room, and the monetary resource at least.”  
“How do you **know** all this!?”  
“She does a great deal for the Church that is well documented. I’m sure she will be up for this too!”  
  
They continued on walking, and ended up a little way out of Adelaide… And Emmett couldn’t help but stop dead. Frank continued on; happy disposition as always, through the front gate and down the path.  
Emmett thought Faraway Downs was big; but it had nothing on this. In fact this was like taking Faraway Downs and planting it in the middle of a city. Maybe it was even bigger than the Administrators property in Darwin.  
“W-Wait… She lives _here_!?”  
“That’s right!”  
“ _Alone_!?” How could one person manage an estate like this all by herself?  
“Yes.” Then Frank corrected himself; “Well, she probably wouldn’t by choice!!! But does, by circumstance.”

They weren’t even all the way down the path before you were outside. And Emmett discovered the second most beautiful thing he had seen today.  
Your eyes flicked between them, amused. “You gentlemen look like you could be here for completely different reasons… And that you’ve seen better days. Should I invite you in, or are you simply too busy…?” You walked down the steps to join them on the path, addressing them correctly “Brother, Captain, how may I be of assistance?”  
You looked between them again. Okay, fine. He was cute by the clergyman was off limits, _but the Captain.._. Well, someone that easy on the eye couldn’t have been single.  
“Actually we are…” There was a second pause, before the sentence was clarified “Here for the same reason, I mean!”  
“Oh!” You smiled, what could the Church and the army have in common? If the Captain was about to ask you to host troops that would make sense. But what did the Church have to do with something like that?  
“We have come from Darwin.”  
Your eyes widened, and you placed a hand over your mouth as you gasped; “Oh my goodness! I heard-! We all did! _Oh-!_ Wow, my goodness. I’m- _I’m so sorry_ … Are you all, okay?”  
“Those of us that made it. But, there were some children sent to mission island. It was hit, but, the majority survived.” Your expression instantly softened, and Emmett took instant note of this as Frank continued; “I heard you might be the person to talk to…”  
“You want me to foster… Children?” You tilted your head, but you were suddenly beaming; turning back to the Captain. “But what is the Army’s stake in this?”  
“Personal only, Ma’m.”  
You smiled; “Y/N. Call me Y/N, please.” Then you realised “OH! I didn’t ask-!”  
“Oh!” He held out his hand instantly, _manners maketh man, Emmett!!_ “Dutton. Captain Emmett Dutton… And this is Brother Frank.”  
“Emmett…” You liked that, and showed it by saying his name with a sweet smile; you took his hand “Thank you, for your service.”

  
***

It surprised you that he was still around, so you certainly hadn’t expected to run into him in the middle of town;  
“Oh! Captain Dutton! I expected you to be long gone by now…”  
“No no, not yet at any rate. Just waiting for the next posting. And please, call me Emmett.”  
“Emmett…” you agreed, “I like that, it’s a nice name.”  
You weren’t sure if you were really complimenting him or it was just inane babble, but he seemed to turn a faint shade of pink anyway. “Thank you… But I shall not be taking the credit there.” He smiled “Can I be of any assistance…? You must have a lot to do, all things considered?”  
“Oh! That’s sweet of you, thank you…” You let him walk in step with you, smile on your face “I’m just letting them settle right now. Brother Frank is a good help too. You have done so much for them already Captain, bringing them here. That’s very heroic.” You looked to his face for a minute; his hesitation. Probably to correct you on his name again. “Emmett! Sorry!”  
“That’s okay. And I don’t know about heroic, but they certainly needed to be far from mission island and Darwin…”  
“Mission Island… Oh. I see.” you shook your head “They should be allowed to return home, don’t you think?”  
“Well, maybe we can do that together?” You weren’t sure if he was being truthful, but by the look in his eyes you would believe anything Emmett said, and that _intensity_. That belief as you had, that that would be the right thing to do, took your breath away.  
“Y-yes… When all this is over.”  
Dutton nodded; “Well, hopefully that won’t be too long… I would hope humanity would have the decency to put a stop to this…” He shook his head “Maybe I shouldn’t go on believing it, but…” Emmett shrugged almost helplessly “When that’s all we have…”  
You smiled despite this; “You’ve not given up your faith in us all yet. Even with what you must have seen in Darwin?”  
“If anything it’s only made me more defiant. The world will get through this. They said the last war was _‘the war to end all wars_.’ Maybe this one will actually do it.”  
You tipped your head “…Will we win?”  
“If it was all so black and white,” but he laughed “I would think, in the end, the people who are meant to prevail will… But our most immediate problems, the things we can change…” He paused his walk, and turned to you – inspired “…are right _here!”  
  
  
_

Emmett and you continued to wander around town together as he helped you run errands and shop for groceries.  
You hated to admit how much you enjoyed his company. Not because you wanted to come off standoffish, but because you knew that one day he would have to leave. And it would be soon.  
He wouldn’t have reason to be here, in reality if they stationed him back up north, if he was so used to Darwin, he’d be _so far away_ from you. You didn’t want to start something just to see it all end. But you couldn’t help falling for him. He was charming and sweet. How could you not?

“Emmett, come in for a little while, I’m sure they’d like to see you…”  
“Well, I suppose I have time. Are you sure you don’t mind?”  
“I just invited you didn’t I!?” you quirked your eyebrow - “Of course, also its only polite that seen as you helped me with all of this.”  
“Oh no! That’s nothing, any time…”  
You folded your arms with a subtle shake of your head; “That’s not _nothing!_ Anyway, please, just accept my gratitude and come inside!?”  
He laughed; “Okay, you won’t need to tell me twice!”

Of course as soon as you got him through the door and the children realised, they were all over him.  
“ _Woah-! Woah-!_ Okay…boys!!” Emmett was laughing again, which you loved; it made you smile. So much it started to hurt to smile for much longer. “Just let me help Y/N alright, then I will come and see you!”  
When he finally got some of the younger children to let him go, with a little encouragement from you - you both slipped into the kitchen:  
“I suppose you get that a lot?” he straightened out his shirt, looking curiously back into the corridor where several of them were watching you both  
“Less than you would think… But you? _Oh,_ they talk about you all the time.”  
“Really!?”  
“Mmm, oh, Captain I know _all_ your stories second hand. Granted there’s some variations on what actually happened, and I certainly wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to hear them first hand, But! Yes, they certainly like you a lot. And you obviously care for them deeply…”  
He turned back to you, and that look on your face Emmett hoped he might be reading correctly. But also made him bashful: admiration? _Why?_ Hadn’t he done what any decent human would do? He felt he’d done far less than you…  
“Oh I…” He struggled with what was best to say, so he opted for a simple “ _Thank you_ …” instead.  
“No, thank you.”

Emmett set about helping you put things away, but you realised pretty quickly that you had gathered a small audience, laughing with him like this. That was understandable, they were equally curious on what was making you so happy (not that you weren’t always) and Emmett himself.  
Eventually you pushed him gently towards the door “Go on…”  
“We aren’t even finished-!”  
You waved away his protests “Go on, they want to listen to you, I’ll come through when I’m finished.”  
He hesitated “Y/N, I… Are you sure?”  
“They want to see _you_! Go on, I mean, how much time may you really get with them?”  
“I suppose you’re right… But I-”  
“Emmett…” You pushed him gently again; “Please, go!”  
He looked like he didn’t want to leave you, so even when he walked from the room, Emmett did it slowly – almost pleading with you to pull him back.  
You couldn’t help your cheeky wink; “I won’t make you wait long!”  
He had to laugh again; and turned back to the children once again clambering all over him to pull him through into your extensive living room.  
“Okay! Okay! It’s alright! _I’m here_ …”  
  
You tidied away and then wandered through. Each and every one of them was engrossed in every single word. And you sat yourself on the arm of one of the sofas with some of the younger children to listen too.  
You barely heard a word that Emmett said, and he barely registered that you’d even walked in, but the way he told it… The way he wasn’t even that animated, but his passion, the way he spoke… _everything,_ had everyone in that room hanging on his every word.  
You weren’t surprised that when you finally had the inclination to look at the clock it was late; but you still waited until the appropriate time to interrupt his story. “OH! Boys… Dinner!”  
Several of them leapt up immediately to eagerly assist you. Emmett stood “I suppose I better get going…”  
“Nonsense, Captain. Would you please join us? It’s only fair, considering all your help in town and telling us such wonderful stories! Also, you can finish them over dinner… What do you say boys?”  
“Yes! Please! Please stay!” The clamour of voices all politely asked the same thing. And Dutton wasn’t about to resist them or you;  
“Oh… Then, I suppose I better stay. Thank you.”  
You grinned; “I better ask now if you can cook!”  
“Oh I—” he laughed nervously “I… Suppose I can. You do tend to pick up a few things, here and there…”  
You nodded, that would do, all you really needed was another pair of (firm but fair) hands to help you out. “Well, Captain, I suppose it’s time for you to put those skills to the test!”  
“Oh. If I’d have known there was a test, I’m not sure I would have accepted the invitation!”  
  
***

Turned out that his ‘ _you pick up a few things’_ was neither wrong, nor exactly truthful.  
“Why don’t you stop acting so humble?!” you giggled slightly, “At this rate its gonna turn out you cook better than me!”  
He laughed, but blush swept his face “No! Oh gosh! I wouldn’t want to show you up..!”  
“Too late captain!” but you were both laughing.  
You had some of the boys help you with the easier things and then sent them on their way again before returning to cooking. Emmett let himself just watch you for a minute, how you made 10 things at once look easy.

He couldn’t help it; “You’re amazing, you know?” it was quiet, like a thought he hadn’t meant to slip out and yet he wanted to  
You turned to him “Me!? No! I’m… Doing what anyone would do…”  
“No, no. _This_ … Is amazing. Those boys deserve a mother and, for sure you **are** one. They couldn’t have done better than this. But you must have helped so many people - Brother Frank alluded to it, but - You are nothing short of _incredible_.”  
“Captain, please…” You pressed your hands to your face, feeling it heat up, you’d never been very good at taking compliments. You didn’t do this to be noticed after all, but so that other people could live a better life, or pick themselves up.  
He crossed to you for a minute “All you’re doing, people should just thank you more often.”  
“Well, they think I’m crazy for doing it,”  
His voice was quiet again “Well, I don’t…”  
You looked back into his eyes, still blushing. ' _Well I don’t'_ was possibly the most significant thing he’d yet said. And he’d said a lot that meant something to you. He still had that ever so sweet smile of admiration on his face. And he was getting to you. You were close enough to feel the heat from his body; and something within you was pining for that closeness – for his touch… or his **_love_**.  
  
But it couldn’t have been just you, you couldn’t have just been imagining that he was leaning closer to you. That made you instinctively lean into him. And this could happen, you could kiss, and it could be like some kind of fairy tale. And all this went through your head very quickly.  
Of course, reality had something to say about that – as the timer in the corner of the kitchen went off. **_SERIOUSLY!?_**  
Emmett pulled away from you and took a polite step back as if he was forgetting himself; “Oh… I… I’m sorry…”  
You wanted to tell him not to apologise; you wanted to grab him and tell him to _kiss me, dammit!_ But you couldn’t. Your face was still flushed and what you did do was say “It’s okay… don’t worry…” **_NO! DAMMIT! Y/N! IT’S NOT OKAY! IT COULD HAVE BEEN A PERFECT KISS!!!_**  
  
No time to dwell on that, with dinner ready, but both of you did. Standing looking at each other, hesitant for just a few more moments…  
Until one of the older boys cleared his throat; “Should I tell everyone it’s ready, Miss Y/N?”  
You didn’t want to tear your eyes from Emmett, but you had to; “Yes! Thank you!”  
  
***  
  
Dinner passed quickly, but Emmett continued his anecdotes to the boys. Every so often one of them would pick up on a story thread of his and begin sharing a story of their own; and Emmett liked watching how you gave it your undivided attention. You reacted appropriately, and asked relevant questions. You made every boy around that table feel special. And when you caught Emmett’s eye and smiled like that, that number included him. 

He stayed long after dinner was over, and helped you both tidy away and put the boys to bed. Which he found was not an easy task.  
“Drink?” You couldn’t help giggle at his slightly bedraggled, exhausted look as he tried to neaten his appearance;  
“Please…! I don’t know how you do it! You’re a _Saint_.”  
“Oh-! Sometimes I don’t think they’d think so-!” You gave a wink, “Can be the total opposite if they won’t behave!”  
He shook his head, mocking shock; “I don’t believe a word of it!”  
  
You sat him outside and handed him a glass as a night cap. The air was still warm even though the sun had long since set, and it made for a pleasant evening. There was comfortable silence as you both admired the scene of your garden, lit every so often by the glow of fireflies, and you could think about the evening in a little detail.  
Eventually you broke the silence with a hesitant question; “Do you have kids?”  
He turned those inquisitive blue eyes back on you, “NO. No. Single…” You wondered why he’d added that statement, because that wasn’t what you had asked. Single wasn’t a qualifier for if he’d ever had kids. And unless he meant _always been single_ which you couldn’t believe for a moment, it certainly had no relevance.  
“You’re good with kids…” You mused, finishing your glass and setting it down  
“That’s worth something?”  
You smiled back at him, gently “ _I think it is._ ”  
His next smile was significant as he fielded your compliment back; “You’re a good mother.”  
You opened your mouth to respond, but it was like it suddenly all hit you, and you took a noticeable deep breath out, “I learned from a good mother…”  
“So you aren’t one?”  
“No… I had a lot of younger siblings who moved out. They are all around Australia and Europe now, some of them.” You looked back to the house “I stayed to help look after my parents, and when they both passed on… I thought what better to do with their house than look after people.”  
“You really are a Saint.” You turned back to the Captain; how he seemed to voice some kind of clarity that hit you again, full force. And your heart yearned for him. To have him here to tell you things you so desperately wanted to hear…  
“Maybe.” Your voice was quiet, and when you looked away from him again he reached for your hand;  
“Not a maybe, you have compassion and generosity that you can’t show gratitude for with mere words… And yet you do this all without shouting it from rooftops.”  
“I don’t do it to be noticed, I do it because, like you, I want to believe there can still be good in the world – even if I have to do it all by myself…”  
He set his glass down; and took your other hand in his; “Y/N… Believe me, you are not alone.”  
  
And in that moment, what you knew he meant was _you have me._  
  
***

It was a few days later when Dutton found the time to wander back to your house to see you and the children again.  
You were out in the back garden when he arrived; still expertly keeping the attention of all the children. Engrossed in some story or other _you_ were telling. Acting out scenes here and there with the help of some of the older boys. Emmett couldn’t help but laugh to himself as he watched from your porch, relaxing himself by leaning against it. From here he was in the shade from the hot afternoon sunlight, but it didn’t seem to bother you or them in the slightest.

Eventually your eyes caught his, and you turned to the older boys to keep the game going whilst you took a breather;  
“Captain! You’re still here!” The way you were beaming and the sunshine hit your hair and eyes and made you _literally_ glow, was the reason that just this once he didn’t bother correcting you.  
“You always sound so surprised!” He turned his full attention from the children to you as you joined him.  
“Well, I just don’t want to get my hopes up that you’ll stay…”  
Emmett tried and failed not to read too much into that, and his smile was gracious “Well. You never know, perhaps you should...” He nodded to the children in order to swiftly change the subject, “they all seem to be getting on well.”  
“Yes, thanks to you.”  
“Me!? You-!”  
“Emmett you rescued them!”  
“Not I. A good friend of mine, I simply delivered them into your care. **You** have saved these children. You have given them a _far_ better life that they would have received on mission island I can tell you that…”  
You shook your head, placing your hand on his to turn him back to you; “But as I say, they always ask after you, Emmett. When you’re coming around next, if you’re going to spend the day here. Every time they see you, _I wish you would stay_ …"  
  
He watched the way that your eyes nervously left his, how you bit your lip and stared at his chest instead. From nowhere he gained a moment of courage, and instead of the nervous laugh he felt, Emmett spoke up, this time entwining your fingers properly with his.  
"Is that the only reason you wish I would stay?”  
This time you did blush; those soft blue eyes and that sweet smile became too much, and you could feel the heat from his face at your _almost kiss_ again.  
“Maybe not. But it shouldn’t always be about me…”  
He couldn’t help his chuckle, you were probably the most charitable, unselfish person he’d ever known. How could anything you did ever _always be about you?  
_ “Then tell me.” Tell me what I want to hear; that’s what he was pleading with you to say. But you weren’t hearing that, because you didn’t want to believe it could be true.  
“You told me I was a good mother…”  
He tilted his head, “I did. And meant it.”  
You decided there was no time to be bolder and looked back into his eyes with confidence; “Well, I figure those boys need a good father figure too…”  
“ _Heh_ …” He bit his lip gently, but smiled through it, “That’d require me to stay.”  
“No. Just be there when you can be.”  
“Well what about you?”  
“What about me…?”  
He tried again, this time more obvious “Maybe I would hope you weren’t just saying that… for them…”  
“…Why are you asking me to say it?”  
Emmett gave a little shrug; “Because maybe if I hear you say it I will know it’s true. What you really want.”  
You took a breath; “I don’t know what I want…” You shook your head “I want you to stay, if you can stay, of course I do. But if you must leave, then I want you to come back. But what I know for sure, is that what I wanted the other night-” You hesitated a moment and swallowed, “I just wish-” You shook your head, “I should have kissed you.”

For a moment he couldn’t believe that _you_ would be that forward, but Emmett liked it. _He loved it.  
_ “Well, I feel we should rectify that situation. If you would allow me to kiss you?”  
Your eyes widened slightly, you knew it! You’d known it… You should have done something then, but he was doing something now.  
So your smile was confident as you looked back into his eyes “You may.”  
He kept your hands respectfully in his, and leaned in slow and gentle, you closed your eyes. Hardly daring to believe that this was real; that it was really a dream that you were about to wake up from.  
But as his lips touched yours you held his hands a little tighter; and pulled him in closer. No dream would compare to this. The kiss was just as soft and sweet as Emmett was, and you kept your eyes closed as he broke it and placed his forehead gently to yours.  
You realised that you didn’t need to ask him to stay, that that kiss was a promise. No matter what the future held, he would return to you.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading-!


End file.
